Island



(No Model.)

T. HAND. BALL 000K FOR WATER CLOSET OI'STBRNS.

Patented De0.7,1897.

17mm; flame;

m: Moms FKTERS c0. vwmoumu mam UNllhD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HAND, OF PAW'TUCKET, RIIODE ISLAND.

BALb-COCK FOR WATER-CLOSET CISTERNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,063, dated December7, 1897.

Application filed April 14, 1897. Serial No. 632,104:- (No model.)

To u/ZZ 7077 0771, it may con/(30777 Be it known that I, THOMAS HAND, acitizen of the United States, residing at Pawtucket, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Ball-Cocks for \Vater-Closet Cisterns; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to ball-cocks for watercloset cisterns; and itconsists, essentially, of an auxiliary float connected to the ball-cockand adapted to be made operative automatically by the water in thecistern or tank whenever the water therein rises above a predeterminedor fixed level, all as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The object I have in View is to provide ballcocks of the class referredto with a simple, efficient, and comparatively inexpensive attachmentfor indicating that water is running to waste from the cistern. It iswell known that the ball-cocks for cisterns are liable to leak fromvarious causes, one reason being that the packing must not press toosnugly against the valve member, as otherwise the friction would be toogreat to allow the cook or valve to move readily with the changes in thewater level when the closet is being flushed. I may add, too, that thepressure of the inlet-water is comparatively great. Therefore the wateris liable to escape past the packing. The water thus escaping may be asmall stream, but it is continuous (until the valve is repacked) andoverflows into the water-closet hopper and sewer connection.

My invention in no wise interferes with the free working of theball-cock when the latter is in the normal condition-that is, it readilyopens and closes by the action of the ballfloat and the changingwater-level, as usual; but in case the valve or cock leaks to anappreciable extent, so that the water rises in the cistern to apredetermined point, it fills the auxiliary float. The latter then fallsor sinks to the bottom of the cistern, thus increasing the weight uponthe arm of the ballcock and keeping the latter snugly closed even afterthe flushing charge has been discharged from the cistern. Now wheneverthe succeeding user attempts to wash out the hopper no water will followthe pull. The failure will be reported, and an investigation willdisclose the fact that the valve needs repacking or some otherattention. Upon correcting the defect and simply emptying the water fromthe auxiliary float the several parts will again become normallyoperative.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section takenthrough a wellknown form of cistern and having my improvement combinedwith the ball-cock, the parts being in the normal position, all thevalves being closed. Fig. 2 is a corresponding transverse section takenon line a; a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2, but showing theauxiliary float dropped to its limit; and Fig. l is a perspective viewof one form of said float.

I may state here that my invention may be arranged and adapted to beattached to various kinds of ball-cocks in which the actions arecontrolled by the changing level of the water contained in the cisternsor tanks in which they are mounted.

In the drawings, A indicates the apparatus complete, the same beingemployed for washout water-closet hoppers or bowls. As drawn, thecistern a, the ball-cock 0, its arm d, and float-ball cl are constructedand adapted for operation substantially as common. The overflow-pipe orupright s is provided with an outlet-valve at the bottom, a pull apulllever s,and connection g, uniting the lever and valve, also ascommon.

My invention resides, essentially, in combining the auxiliary float fwith the ballcock. The float itself is hollow and watertight and has aninlet-opening f therein at or near the top, through which the water mayenter.

f is an air or vent outlet in the top of the float, and f areguide-ears.

it indicates a suitable standard mounted in a bracket b, secured to thecistern a. lower portion of the standard forms a guide for the float f,as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The upper part of the standard is bent toform a horizontal arm h, on which latter are The located the twodepending adj ustably-secured pulleys 0" r. A flexible connection mextends from the float f up to and around the said pulleys and thencedown to the arm d of the ball-cock. At a point in the connection m abovethe arm 61 I prefer to locate a weight w, this latter exceeding theweight of the empty float f and the connection m. The relative height orposition of the empty float is controlled or regulated by the stop orcollar n, adjustably secured to the standard It, as clearly shown.

By means of the arrangementj ust described it will be seen that when thevalve or cock 0 is working normally the empty float f will be held inposition against the stop n through the medium of the counterweight w,the slackness of the connection m being between the said weight and armd, thereby permitting the latter to swing freely on its fulcrum. (SeeFigs. 1 and 2.) In case the valve leaks sufficiently to elevate thewater-level, say, to the line 70, Fig. 2, the water will then g raduallyflow into the float f, via opening f, until the volume of Water thereinpreponderates over the weight w and causes the float to sink to thebottom of the cistern, thereby at the same time elevating the weight,the connection m then being taut throughout its length and thusautomatically preventing the ball d from falling to open the cock 0 whenthe next flushing or wash-out takes place.

By means of the adjustable holders t and pulleys r the latter can bereadily set to any desired position with respect to the ball-cock arm,&c., and by loosening the set-screw b the standard-arm it may be swungaround to any position within its limits. the water-line may be variedas desired by simply changing the length of the connection m andaltering the position of the stop at correspondingly.

From the foregoing it is clear that the device operates automatically tokeep the ball cook or valve fully closed until it is again reset orreadjusted by hand.

In order to further insure the closing of the ball-cock and to preventthe float J from accidentally rising after it has dropped away from theupper stop 71, the device may be The level of' provided with a lightspring 10, having its lower or free end adapted to spring outwardly overthe float, thereby, as it were, automatically locking the latter inposition, substantially as represented in Fig. 3.

Without materially departing from the spirit of my invention the devicemay be adapted to various arrangements of ballcocks wherein the latterare employed to admit a predetermined volume of Water into a reservoirat intervals.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent 1. In a flushing or wash-out apparatus of the class hereindescribed, the combination with a suitably-mounted ball-cock adapted tobe made operative substantially as usual by changes in the height ofwater contained in the cistern or tank, of an auxiliary hollow floatconnected to said ball-cock, and communicating with the water of saidtank, and means for limiting the movements of the float, constructed andarranged whereby in case the water rises to a predetermined point abovethe normal level it then flows into said auxiliary float, thus sinkingor depressing the latter and preventing the ball cock from again openinguntil the float is readjusted, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a ball-cock, of a vertically guided auxiliaryfloat provided with an inlet-opening for water, and a suitableconnection uniting said float and the arm of the ball-cock,substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, provided with a suitablecistern or tank, as a, the combination with the usual ball-cock mountedin said cistern, of a verticallyguided auxiliary hollow float f, asuitably-mounted counterweighted flexible connection uniting said floatand the arm of the ball-cock, and means for adjusting the position ofthe float, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

THOMAS HAND.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. REMINGTON, REMINGTON SHERMAN.

